Avalanche forecast

Eastside Region

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche danger has elevated to MODERATE near and above treeline. New snow coupled with strong SW winds has likely created fresh, sensitive wind deposits on leeward terrain features. Continuing snow showers and steady wind will contribute to a further developing wind slab problem today.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    New snow was accompanied by increasing SW winds throughout the day yesterday. Even with only a small amount of new snow by 4 p.m. yesterday, blowing snow was visible at ridgetops and on mid-slope terrain features in the Mammoth Lakes Basin and The Sherwins. This likely created small wind slabs which have only increased in size since snowfall intensity and winds increased in tandem until the early hours of this morning.

    New snow amounts were once again variable throughout the forecast area, but winds were consistently strong enough to transport snow. Conduct your own localized assessments of fresh wind deposition on leeward terrain features primarily facing NW through SE, near and above tree line.

    Winds will continue at speeds strong enough to transport snow today. Monitor for drifted snow, small cornices, textured surfaces and smooth hollow sounding snow as indications of nearby wind slabs.

Avalanche Discussion

Another small storm has brought a refresh to the Eastern Sierra. While not a substantial new load to the underlying snowpack, this new snow may provide ample opportunity to find fresh instabilities today.

Today it is very possible that the areas which are most inviting for fresher, softer travel on the ascent and descent are those where we expect to find unstable snow today. Use caution on steep slopes. Use visual clues to hunt out potential wind slabs and utilize small representative pieces of the terrain to test fresh deposits for signs of instability.  Fresh snow has fallen on a variety of challenging snow surfaces. Obstacles, firm snow and crusts may linger just below the new snow. Expect variability in the depth of the new snow thanks to somewhat meager snow totals in many areas, and strong winds which has likely blown some areas back to where we started this storm.

Regions covered